Description

Light and strong, meet lighter and stronger.

The big tech innovation of Shimano's Dura-Ace WH-9000-C24-TL Wheelset is the proprietary Carbon Lamination technology. The rims are extruded and rolled with Shimano's carefully guarded process to bring the aluminum's thickness down from the standard 1-1.3 millimeters to a svelte .6 millimeter.

The Japanese manufacturer then fuses carbon layers onto the aluminum to maintain strength while enjoying maximum weight loss. As you'd imagine, high-stress areas are buttressed with additional layers, so the structural integrity of the lightweight hoops is sound. Though we're not even privy to the process' secrets, the result is apparent: a rim that's stronger and lighter than if it were made from aluminum only.

The final bit of initialism in the wheels' title, TL, indicates that these rims are ready to take advantage of the low-hassle, easy-riding fit of tubeless tires. The wheels come equipped with a quiver full of other Shimano advancements. The rims are offset, to account for uneven stress on drive and non-drive sides, and they're further reinforced with T-nut construction where the spokes are threaded into the rim.

The freehub is made from titanium, so it's lightweight, and it's housed in a wide flange hub that further complements the offset rim's power transfer efficiency. Like all Shimano wheels, the C24-TLs are built around cup-and-cone bearings that resist the stress caused by riding on straightaways as well as the lateral force generated under hard cornering. They roll smoothly through turns and, courtesy of their low inertia, spin up fast while accelerating out of corners.

The Shimano Dura-Ace WH-9000-C24-TL Wheelset can be run with or without tubes. They are 11-speed compatible and can be used with 10-speed cassettes with an additional spacer.

Have an answer for Robert?

Do it. Unless you're a carbon fetishist (despite the carbon laminate, these are effectively alloy wheels) or you're running Campy*, then these are the only high-performance/low-profile wheels you should consider. Unbeatable for the price. Alternatively, you might like the Ultegra wheels, which are more affordable and a blast to ride as long as you're under 170lb and aren't racing.

*Shimano wheels should never be run with a Campagnolo drivetrain. You can use an Ultegra cassette with Campy derailleurs, but it's just poor form.

Comment on Colin K.'s comment:

Are you referring to the tubular full carbon or the non-tubeless? I chose the tubeless vs. non-tubeless, b/c I'd never ridden tubeless tire so I wanted to check it out and thought it would be nice to have the option. If you're referring to the full carbon c24 tubular (you mentioned "full carbon", so I wasn't sure if you were actually referring to these), that's an entirely different animal (i.e. race only). I wanted a fantastic light weight wheel for training that's bullet proof and still fun to ride (calling this a training wheel, is really selling it short). If that's what you're looking for, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Comment on Trent S.'s answer:

I have been using the Shimano C24-TL Dura-Ace for two years now and when I bought them first called Shimano to find out how to find sealant that did not contain ammonia and they would not help me. I found Stan's NOTUBES tire sealant in two ounce tubes and Stan's 44mm universal valve with removable valve core a perfect match to setup the wheel for ammonia-free sealant. A tire without sealant will only stay filled for about one hour within the 80-100psi limit area. Sealant is a MUST have but only around one to two ounce is required for each wheel. Cleaning the old sealant out is time consuming but I have put over 15,000 miles on the wheelset and really enjoy the way they roll on the road.

Comment on hoborider's answer:

I've used Shimano tubeless rims since 2011 -- the earlier model (forget the number) and, for the past 3 years, the 9000 TL's.

I've never put sealant in them. My LBS did once, without my knowledge, and cleaning the rim was NOT fun.

I run Schwalbe ONE tubeless (23mm) and find that they lose about 10 lbs of inflation OVER NIGHT (not in an hour). Had similar experience with Hutchinson Fusion tubeless but I think the Schwalbe run smoother. I inflate to 90-100 PSI (I weigh 150).

These are excellent rims. I see they're priced at $750 now -- an absolute screaming deal.

Comment on Dana S.'s answer:

Contrary to some other answers here, I have run about 6000 miles of tubeless on these rims, and feel no need to use sealant. You'll be fine for a three hour ride, then will need to fill again next day before riding. Hutch Fus 3 Tubeless. Although these partic tubeless supposedly have higher coeff friction than many tubed tires.